Running-gear for automobiles.



M. L. WILLIAMS.

RUNNING GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPMGATION FILED DBO.26.1005. 906,481.. Patented De.8,19os,

2 SHBETS-SHEBT 1A M. L. WILLIAMS.

RUNNING GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 26.1905.

906.481. Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ti\iAR.l`N L. WILLIAIXIS, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

RUNNING-GEAR Fon AUTOMOBILES.

no. eoofiei.

Specification of Letters Potent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

.application tiled December 26, 1905. Serial No. 293,289.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Beit known that l, MARTIN L. WiLLiAns, e citiizeii of lthe UnitedStates, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State ofindiens, lieve invented certain new and useful improvements inRunning-Gems lor Automobiles, oi' which the 'following is especiiicetion.

' This invention relates to improvements in ruiming gears iorAmutomobiles, ond it has among its salient objects to providesconstruction in which the driving mechanism is supported upon what maybe termed e deuble three-point sus ension freine; to provide oconstruction in willich the rear fixle und connected parts ore connectedby :i forwardly converging freine .structure with the central portion ofthe Jiront axle und its connected ports, und similarly the liront nxleund connected ports are united with the central portion ol the reu-raxle und connected parts by n. ieerwerd ly conv erging freine structure,the two converging 'frame structures being nrrzinged in overlappedrelation; to provide in n structure having the characteristics lastabove stated, swiveling connections between the apex portion of eachconverging 'frame und t ie pzirt with which it is connected; to providein :i structure heving the characteristics set forth suitnble propellingmechanism und o. driving shuit extending axially through the npexes o'l`both (converging iii-unies; to provide in u running geur 'fornutomobiles iiieuns lor drivingnoch o'l` i'hc four supporting wheels ollthe vehicle lrom :l` motor common to ull, the i'rume structure :uidtransmission drivcs being so constructed und arranged. lhul. oni-h wheelnifty risc und full without bringing torsional stresses upon nny portol' the running gear ironic and without in uny'wisc disturbing thefreedom of movement oil the driving system; to provide n running geur inwhich one of the inui'n uxlcs trikes the form ol' n` hollow casingforming :i

housing i'or the motor mechanism; to pro-1 vide in such zi. structureimproved dctuils ol construction und nrrniigenieiit oi thc housing-uxle;to so construct' und uri-onge lhe 'lruine structure lhut Iheeounter shuit which drives the rcnr oxle is substuiitinlly housed und the casingwhich incloses the suine forms :it once n housingl vl'or thc shaft, uhousing for u, set oi erpiulizing goers und supporting u traction'lruine member to provide improvements in the details ol' constructionund urriiiigcinent contributing'to accessibility, to

strength und rigidity, und to simplicity end. neetness of appearance;and in general to 'provide an improved construction of the characterreferred to.

To theebove ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafterdescribed and l more particularly pointed out in the appended cleinis.

The invention will be understood from the following description,reference being had to the drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is n. plan viewoi u. running geni' embodying niv invention; Fig. 2 is :in edge view orside elevation of the some; Fig. 3 is u front elevation of the runninggeur; Fig. 4 is iL horizontal sectional view iii the pleno of separationof the 'front nxle members.

Referring to the drawings, i designates :is e whole the front axlemember which is made in the forni of a hollow casing und serves tosubstantially house. the motor mechanism and ports of lthe transmissiongeni' zuid will therefore be designated thr` housing-axle.

2 designates the reni' axle, 8 u. counter shaft housing fiume or casing,ond 4 und 5. respectively, two V-sl'uiped frames :irrnngrd in overlappedrelutioii :md having their apex portions connected with tholiousiug-uxic ond counter slnnl't cnsing, respectively.

The housing-uxle. es preferably constructed, comprises u lowerlongitudinally extending flattened seiiii-tubulur member 6, :i corresioiiding upper member 7, which instead of being romp ete is shaped tovfit around n vertically upstnndiiig engine l'rumcb` which prorudesthrough the cnsing, und two end cusings 9 and l0, respectively, which:irc connected with the ends of the tubular port oll the casing formedby the lower und upper members und 7 und nrc euch provided with reducedrind' tapering' nxlc extensions il. Those axle extensions lerminulr iuthc proseiit instance in yokes, ns indicnled nt l2, which forni pnrls ofthc knuckle joints upon which the front wheels uro mounted. upper :indlower housing members moet :md nrc united with ouch other, dcsirably:dong nn n )proximutcly horizontal plone, ns indicriteriv clearly inthil drowings, und nro conveniently l'nstencd together by menus ofintegro-l cnrs i4 through which nre inserted bolts. The flattened semitubular shell formed by the members (i und 7 is nl. euch end enlarged tooccoiiiniodnte 'certuin ironsinission mechanism, forming no port of thepresent invention; the end'ciisings 9 und i() irom the remainder of theinterior of the axle, enabling the perte contained 1n this chamber to heirept bathed in oil.

' lf oleim es my invention:

l. ln e motor vehicle, the combination with front end reorexlestructures of e shafthousine arranged bodily to one side of and v.pernlie- With one of seid axle structures, an

extension frame having swiveling connecr1 tlodns With the center of seidshalt-housing end extending thence to and connected with me oppositeexle structure at oints laterally removed trom the center of t 1elatter, and e second freineextension having swiveling con.

neetions withthe center of that exle structure remote from theshaft-housing, and extending thence to and Connected with seidshstshousing, end sdjecent axle structure et points laterally removedfrom the center or each.

2. In e. motor Vehicle, the combination with iront end rear axlestructures, of e shaft-housing urrengedbodily to one side of andparallel with one of seid exle structures, en extension frame havingswiveling connections with the center oi' seid sheftdiousing endextending thence to and connected with the opposite exle structure atpoints laterally removed from the center of the letter, n seo` ondire-.me extension herir strive-ling connections with the cento-izo--ehlit axle structure remote the 'shoes ig. land extendii d snee and coi.ected with seid shalt sud adjacent exie structure at polli.terslly.removed from the Center of eeoh, end supporting connectionsbetwez Y. the center seid sheit-housing and the center of 'the ettschedaxle structure.

3. in. e running geit-r for Vehicles, en axle structure,.compriing ocentred mein body portion inode in the form of e hollow shell dividedinto upper end lower shell members, end end portions hiking the Jiorm ofend cesings which :rre united with, and close the ends of, the meincentral body, and are provided with reduced extensions for the receptionthe Wheels.

4. In e running gear for vehicles, :in axle -vxtond et right nngles tothe structure consistin ol e hollow shell. ol tubuler form, forming 51axle-end longitudinally,separable into uuper end lower members, and endmembers fitted to and rigidly connected with the ends o..

said tubular structure, andprovided -4'lilith reduced extensions formingthe Wheelreeeiving or s indle )ortions ol' the axle.

5. A hol ow su stantially closed vehicle axle, comprising e tubularcontrol body sepereble into upper and lower halves dott-.ohebly unitedwith each other, end menioers .each consisting of :t single hollowcasting detaohably connected with the end nmrgins or' the tubulm' membody, wheelsupporting e principal length of the yokes upon the ends ofseid end members,

exis ol the `ixle of the contea' t seid journal sockel opening; to theec the axle for the reception of the jomim o3; nu exterior member.

7. ln a running gen1' for vehicles, :in 1,. structure, comprising a,central mein l mede in the form of o. hollow shell diviw into upper midlower shell members, :md non tition members in rech of seidsheil'memoers forming :i su plementury chamber in the im1 terior of suitshell, said partition members being scpnrzibly united at the meetinglines olE the shell members.

- hilirll'llN L. WvlLlilAMS.

Yllitxxosses:

Forum. Rosie, FRANK L. BnLxNAr.

